After a 58-year-old patient at Fortis Hospital in Anandapur was declared brain dead, his family donated his organs in a heartwarming act of kindness that gave several transplant recipients new hope. According to accepted medical procedures, the donor was deemed brain-dead due to a significant brain hemorrhage. His family agreed to donate his kidneys, lungs, and corneas in recognition of his lifelong dedication to serving others.

As soon as the family gave their consent, the hospital’s transplant team started the organ donation procedure and worked with the Regional Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (ROTTO) and other pertinent authorities to distribute the organs. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (NOTTO) and ROTTO both offered the donor’s heart for distribution; however, no suitable recipient could be found.

A recipient at Fortis Hospital in Anandapur received one kidney, while Command Hospital in Alipore received the other. To aid in the restoration of vision, the corneas were given to Disha Eye Hospitals in Barrackpore and the lungs to Artemis Hospital in Gurugram.

Green corridors were established between Fortis Hospital in Anandapur, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, and Command Hospital in Alipore to guarantee the prompt transportation of the organs. The donated lungs were able to travel about 20 km and arrive at the airport in just ten minutes for further transportation to Gurugram thanks to the corridor that went through Ruby, Science City, and Sector V. Within seven minutes, the donated kidney arrived at Command Hospital in Alipore.

In addition to ROTTO, NOTTO, the Kolkata Traffic Police, airport authorities, and the corresponding recipient hospitals, the process necessitated close coordination between the hospital’s physicians, nurses, transplant coordinators, and support teams. Throughout the process, Fortis Hospital in Anandapur assisted the donor’s family and carried out all necessary medical and administrative tasks in compliance with established protocols.

As the donor was taken for organ retrieval, medical professionals, nurses, and other hospital staff formed a Guard of Honor to honor the donor and recognize the family’s selfless choice. The hospital staff stood in solemn remembrance of the donor, whose last act of kindness gave several patients hope and a fresh start.

The transformative power of organ donation and the significance of prompt coordination between donor families, hospitals, transplant authorities, and civic agencies are highlighted by this multi-organ donation. India still has a severe organ shortage despite increased awareness, with far more patients waiting for transplants than there are deceased-donor organs available. Every family can close this vital gap and give many people a second chance at life by choosing to donate during a time of intense grief. According to NOTTO, one deceased organ donor can save up to eight lives.

Donation must be prioritized so that more lives can be saved in the long run.

Priyanka Dutta